Need urgent advice on doing workshops

[rqegsufqihciinesg]

Hi

I'm a newly qualified Therapist and am struggling to find clients. I decided in a moment of madness to do a free Workshop at a local venue doing 3 slots on Stress, PMT and Pain Relief. Got no problem in organising it and setting it up from the admin/organisation side of things but am now panicking as I've never been to a workshop or done any kind of presentation and need advice on what people want from workshops - is it to give taster sessions of reflexology with less talking or what - what works and what doesnt. Advertising is so expensive and doesnt seem to work. And where should I ask to take a few of the mini posters I've got? Any advice no matter how small would really help.

Panicking!
Debs

 

[Kaye B]

as you are not a trained tutor perhaps keep it light, ie this is an introduction to reflexology, this is what a reflexologist does and the history of it.

 

[zcydtwgp]

This is a really interesting thread for me as I too am struggling to build up my clientelle as a newly qualified Reflexologist.

My own therapist told me she built most of her clients up through giving talks at local Womens institutes and giving demonstrations.

I am in the process of trying to sort this out and spent a day compiling notes on how I will give the presentation.

As this is a complete career change for me at the ripe old age of 43 having been registered disabled and needing a career to suit my needs I thought it might be interesting to cover why and how I came about embarking on this career move. Maybe you could tell your story too, a lot of people like to know why and how and maybe after your 'talk' you could have a question and answer session.

Good luck with the workshop. I think its a great idea.

 

[[ Pending ]]

Debs

I actually dont tink they will be there for your story

how long is a slot?

you have a theme for each slot..the theme will be what brings people to the talk.

you are giving the talk as a way to get clients...focus on them, and what they could get from r/y

each one who sits there is a potential client, now or in the future.

make sure they sign up for email contact by eg offering ten tips on dealing with PMT or stress

people attend talks for different reasons/will want different things...maybe they just want a sit down, maybe they are there cos it is free/maybe it is curiosity/maybe they really need relief from stress, PMT or pain

it is the benefits of reflexology that you need to get across in the time you have.

have a mix of talk plus a way to engage the audience

tigress

.

 

[Honey Bunny]

Sounds a good idea to give some workshops. What is important when you teach anything is to plan the talk i.e. break it down into little bits e.g. intro, history of reflexology, the zones, demo, groupwork and allocate the amount of time each section is going to take. It's good to let them know early whether you want them to ask questions throughout, or alot a time at the end.

It's relaxing for everyone to start off with an icebreaker - this could be a hello to a person near them they don't know. Then you can introduce yourself and say a brief history of reflexology. It's always useful to have some learning aids i.e. a large poster to hand with the reflex zones, so that you can point them out.

I usually do a demonstration on one of them and get them then to practice on each other. I don't do all the talking myself but get the group involved, you can do this by a bit of brainstorming that is asking them for their ideas for example if you are teaching about stress, ask them how does it affect them physically, emotionally, mentally; groupwork which could be in pairs, threes, fours whatever.

At the end get some feedback what they have got from the day, I usually prepare some handouts for them to take home, with a blurb about yourself and your clinic and a schedule of any more workshops you're giving.

Binah
x

 

[Kailey R]

Hi DO

I understand where you are coming from and you are right to get out there and be proactive.

You should definitely have a leaflet and/or business card. Not just for the audience but also for their friends and family.

Offer a free prize draw of a reflex treatment for those who sign up for a mailing list.

Don't sell yourself cheap either. If £25-30 is the typical rate in your area for reflex, then that's your price.

Best Wishes

Reflex Pixie

 

[Preggers]

Hi Deborah,

I read your post with great interest as two weeks ago I was in exactly the same position.

I have been an Aromatherapist for years and have a few clients but now having trained in Reflexology and also I found myself needing to use this in a more full time time earning capacity, I was stuck how to advertise on the cheap (free)!

As luck would have it, I belong to a carers group and I asked the organiser if I could come along and give a demo/talk to the other carers, free of charge.....huge yes was the reply!

I did this yesterday, and if I may say so, it went well but not how I planned.....everyone wanted a mini treatment...they were quite happy to watch me , chat or have coffee whilst I worked. I imagined spending 3/4 of the time talking then a short demo on a carer...but best laid plans and all that....

I left the group feeling very postive and more confident in my work. This morning I have two emails asking me for more details on pricing and one from appointment after yesterdays "talk".

So Deborah i suggest get out there, but be prepared to offer freebies in return for future clinets.

Good luck

Sherree

 

[diyxreos]

Thanks so much for the advice. I will let you know how it goes! Its quite an isolated job so its nice to know there are other people around to talk to.

Debs

 

[Evan G]

Thanks for the idea of doing an Icebreaker at the workshop - only problem is I have no clue as to what you can do for them so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Debs

 

[KTKatieKT]

Hi

I'm really grateful for all the advice I go on doing my workshops and will take it all on board. Someone mentioned doing Icebreakers so everyone feels comfortable. Has anyone got any good ideas for these? Would appreciate any advice.

Thanks so much
Debs

 

[djaccuzt]

Icebreakers help the group to get to know each other and builds up a rapport between the members and the tutor. A simple one is going round the group and saying who you are prefixed by an adjective, its a laugh usually and a mental prompt for remembering people. The idea is to create a relaxing atmosphere. If the course is a short one it may not be possible to learn each others names that quickly. Another one is as I said earlier if everyone links up with someone they don't know and says a couple of things about themselves it helps the group to relax.

This is just an example I am sure other people here can think of a few more.

Binah
x

 

[Griminchel]

Thank you Binah - you sound like you've got a lot of experience behind you I appreciate your help. What treatments do you provide and are you mobile or working from home/salon?

Debs

 

[The ready set = ?]

Hi Deborah O, some female therapist friends of mine, say get in touch with your local "Women in business clubs", they have had a good response from these, they have guest speakers who do a little presentation and perhaps a sample treatment or two.

Therapist1960uk

 

[Annie D]

Hi Deborah,

After any talk you will get more clients by following up. If you offer a free treatment as suggested by Reiki Pixi, don't forget to contact people who don't win and offer them a discount on their first treatment with you. You can also offer a discount for anyone who books a treatment with you on the day.

In between your workshops, you can offer taster treatments but I think it is important to charge for these otherwise people don't value them. It doesn't have to be much. I've not done an event for a while but I used to charge £6. I would then offer them that money back if they booked a full treatment on the day.

The key to giving a good presentation is to:-

* keep it simple
* stay focussed on your topic (e.g. PMS)
* "sell" a solution rather than a therapy (e.g. don't try and sell reflexology, tell them how good you find it at reducing stress)
* get the audience involved (e.g. getting them to find the ovary and uterus reflexes on their own hands).

Talking and taster treatments are definately the best way of finding clients, so good luck with this event.

http://www.calminginfluences.com/creating clients.html

 

[jnjmommy]

It sounds like everyone has given some really great tips, and i would just repeat a few of them.

Keep it simple. make sure your advertising matches the outline of your presentation (deliver whatever you promise) make sure to give out your contact information, but be sure to have a way to contact them back. if you are giving a free talk then you need to make sure that you have a way to gain customers from you work. Value yourself highly, because you are offering a great service.

My mother is a reflexologist and is looking to gain clients as well, i am going to send her over to this thread. Good luck in all your work.

 

[Andrina]

I was interested to read that some reflexologists (e.g. Binah) get people to work on each other at a taster session. When I have done these in the past I have always done a demo, but haven't been brave enough to actually get them working on each other. Do you actually go the whole hog and get them all to take shoes and socks off work the feet and if so, are they usually ok with that?

Janet x

 

[i love music ?]

in workshops i've always found that you 'show' rather than 'tell' - offer a mini diagram of points to massage on the foot/hand etc for PMS or stress and them get them doing it on each other as an icebreaker...

also demonstrate the routine you'd do on stress and talk them through reflexology as you go....


the best one we ever did - we set up three tables of different therapy...the other ladies had coffee and we blitzed through the room. still getting business from this today

 

[bluedevil1642]

I suppose a taster session is different to a workshop and it does depend on how much time you have to spend. People learn better by copying and practising the technique and the tutor can go around testing for pressure and observing and correcting if need be.

Hands are more accessible than feet, but I personally find working hand reflexes a little more fiddly, so I do prefer to demonstrate on the feet - not all of the reflex points usually the ones for stress.

Binah
x

 

[Little Guy]

Hi

I was really interested to you about you getting 3 different tables set up for your workshop - what exactly did you do? what worked well and what would you do differently. My workshops are next week and I am quite scared. I'm worried no one will turn up etc. Any other advice would be much appreciated.

Debs

 

[??? ??? ???]

Thank you very much - how do you get them to give you their details? I will give them my business card but I should get their contact information somehow ? but how?

Debs